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Saturday, May 19, 2018

Investment in Human Infrastructure???

The title of this Blog evolved from an article I found on the internet (see link below) that identified the thirteen college majors in which pay goes nowhere. It is both interesting and ironic that a large number of these majors (human services, social work, child development, special education, elementary education, pastoral ministry) are involved with training people in helping others. The list begs the question of how well our society is investing in the human infrastructure necessary to provide help in developing others and assistance in meeting the needs of others. Are we unconsciously promoting an “every man for himself” and “survival of the fittest” perspective that discounts collaboration and cooperation for the common good?

 Here’s the link and the list:

1. Child Development
2. Human Services
3. Early Childhood and Elementary Education
4. Clinical Laboratory Science
5. Pastoral Ministry
6. Athletic Training
7. Medical Technology
8. Recreation and Leisure Studies
9. Special Education
10. Horticulture
11. Nutrition
12. Social Work
13. Theology      

The Who and The What of Interviews

Our school recently engaged in a search and selection process to fill teaching vacancies for the upcoming school year. We began the task by creating a group of interested, representative  stakeholders who then identified the attitude, skills, and experiences desired in someone joining our school community. That in itself is a deviation from the path often taken by schools seeking to fill openings. Too many interview committees (assuming that the committee isn't comprised solely of administrators) simply dig into the pile of applicants without a consensus on what they are looking for. As the Cheshire Cat advises Alice in Wonderland when she is lost, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." In such instances, committee members could be distracted in their quest by candidates who were in the same sorority/fraternity, attended the same college, or other intangible points of interest/coincidence, and travel off in a direction away from hiring the right teacher.

Once we reach agreement on what our organizational culture needs, and reflect on what our learners deserve, we used the list of attributes as a map to guide us through the pile of applications. The most important, and revealing, element of the application materials is the cover letter. Resumes all follow a couple of different templates that generally standardize the document and confine information to the "what" of the candidate - college degrees, major area of studies, grade point average, certifications, experience, references... The cover letter, on the other hand, if properly constructed (i.e. not simply a narrative of the resume, which is redundant) can provide interviewers with insight into how the applicant can distinguish him/herself from others. The well-crafted cover letter can explain "who" the applicant is and how they stand out. And, since we value who the person is more than what the person is, as every human service agency should, we are closer to finding the right person to add to our school community. Southwest Airlines claims that they, "Hire for attitude, and train for altitude." If we hire the right person, who "fits" our school culture, we are capable of training them in any area of unfamiliarity or deficiency.

The cover letter offers the applicant an opportunity to market him/herself by supplying how they can add value to the school community, why they are interested in this particular opportunity (we avoid hiring people looking for a job) and how they can maintain their balance while investing in the challenging role of meeting the needs of, and making a difference in, impoverished learners. It is important to note that we are not searching for people who mirror our existing staff, in some cookie cutter fashion. Instead, we want to find someone who can ensure that while we are aligned in our purpose, we are cognizant of the value of diversity in perspective, experience, and practice. 

We begin our interviews with a simple question.

What would you like to tell us about yourself beyond the content of your resume and outside the walls of a classroom? 

That solicitation is followed by:

What is your favorite book or movie?
If you could pick any character from any book or movie you've experienced, who would you like to be, and why?
Can you tell us about your hero/heroes?
If the person who knows you best was writing a book about your life, what would it be entitled, other than your name?
Think of the one best teacher you have ever interacted with - from Kindergarten on - and, without identifying the individual, explain why that person stands out from all the rest.
Recall a struggle or challenge you have faced, and without telling us what it was, describe the manner in which you overcame the obstacle.
What is more important - what you teach, how you teach, or who you teach? (explain your answer)
How do you maintain a balance in your work and life outside of school?

There are other questions intended to find out the values, aspirations, and uniqueness of the candidates. Finally, there are a few questions about classroom management, literacy instruction... that supply us with some of the conventional aspects of teaching. 

The ultimate decision on who we advance in the process to meet with the superintendent emerges out of a discussion among committee members on the fit between the potential of the candidate and the needs of our school/learners.

References are checked with respect to the degree of alignment between what the reference says and how the candidate defined him/herself.

I have been an active participant in hiring over one hundred teachers in my forty-two year leadership career as either a principal and superintendent. I cannot recall the grade point average or college or certification status of any of the people who were hired. But, I can fondly remember how they made children feel and what differences they made in the lives of others.